biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
this took another step forward this morning as we know have a drive line fitted just need to run the rear brake cable through the top tube next and then it gets easier
What Have You Fettled Today?
- Thread starter threebikesmcginty
- Start date
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this took another step forward this morning as we know have a drive line fitted just need to run the rear brake cable through the top tube next and then it gets easier
bought some off this great for chain and cassete cleaning,pour it into a container soak chain etc overnight
job done
No Nonsense Heavy Duty Degreaser 5Ltr £7.99
http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-heavy-duty-degreaser-5ltr/88668
job done
No Nonsense Heavy Duty Degreaser 5Ltr £7.99
http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-heavy-duty-degreaser-5ltr/88668
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
Adjusted my front brake.
Tin Pot
Guru
Adjusted lower limit on front dérailleur
Checked gear changes
Adjusted bike fit according to Bike Dynamics static fit:
Dropped seat 4cm, giving a saddle to BB measure of 65cm
Setback seat -2.2cm
Dropped handlebars the last ring as some compensation to the seat height reduction.
Moved cleats to just forward of back most.
Pushed rests forward on tri bars (not on bike yet) and installed pads.
Checked gear changes
Adjusted bike fit according to Bike Dynamics static fit:
Dropped seat 4cm, giving a saddle to BB measure of 65cm
Setback seat -2.2cm
Dropped handlebars the last ring as some compensation to the seat height reduction.
Moved cleats to just forward of back most.
Pushed rests forward on tri bars (not on bike yet) and installed pads.
Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
Whilst I was trying to clean up an old chrome wheel that had gone all rusty this evening a tiny bug bounced off my ear and landed on the ground beside me.
As I was looking at it I thought should I feel sorry for it or should I yell at it to be more careful in future.
As I was looking at it I thought should I feel sorry for it or should I yell at it to be more careful in future.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I have put 2 new chainrings on my CAAD5. I had already put a new chain and cassette on and thought I might get away with keeping the old rings, but the new chain was making a lot of noise and I think it was because of wear on the small and middle rings. Once I compared the old rings with the replacements, it was fairly obvious that the old teeth were significantly worn.
The old rings were made of 'Dural' which is a softish grade of aluminium and they only lasted me one season. I've spent more this time and got 'Zicral' rings which are supposed to last much longer. I'll eventually see if the extra life justifies the extra cost.
The big ring looked ok so I didn't change that.
Now for a test ride ...
[Time passes ...]
I am back from a 21 mile test ride ...
Verdict ...? That's better! The gears are working nicely now. The shifting is better, and the transmission feels more 'direct' without the sloppiness of the old worn parts. The bike is MUCH quieter - various noises had been annoying me and they have almost disappeared now. The elusive ticking sound has pretty much been eliminated. The old big ring does seem to be working fine. I don't use the big ring as much as the middle ring and when it is used, the load is spread over more teeth so it wears less.
The other thing I forgot to mention above is that I bought a 36 tooth middle ring to replace the old worn 38. It is a subtle change but it makes sense for my riding. The big ring is only a 48 and the smallest sprocket is only a 13 which means that I can use the big ring much more than I could on other bikes that I have owned. That means there is not the need to have a biggish middle ring. By using a smaller middle ring, I now have 3 sensible ranges of gears which don't overlap too much if cross-chained combinations are discounted. The big ring is good for 15+ mph = flat, undulating or downhill roads. The middle ring is ideal for about 10-17 mph = undulating roads and moderate climbs. The little ring is good for steep climbs and moderate ones climbed at up to about 12 mph.
I found that the steps between the rings now are such that I wasn't having to do a double shift when changing between them, I felt happy enough staying on the same sprocket for at least a few pedal revs. I didn't get that feeling of having to spin like mad, or my legs seizing up when I changed rings without a corresponding shift at the back.
Oh, and one last quick fettle was done by a mate who is better with a spoke key than me. I noticed a bit of a wobble in the rear wheel. He reduced that by about 75% but didn't want to go any further because the spoke tensions were diverging too much. Ideally, he would like to spend more time on the wheel and do it properly but I told him not to bother. I think it will be ok.
The old rings were made of 'Dural' which is a softish grade of aluminium and they only lasted me one season. I've spent more this time and got 'Zicral' rings which are supposed to last much longer. I'll eventually see if the extra life justifies the extra cost.
The big ring looked ok so I didn't change that.
Now for a test ride ...
[Time passes ...]
I am back from a 21 mile test ride ...
Verdict ...? That's better! The gears are working nicely now. The shifting is better, and the transmission feels more 'direct' without the sloppiness of the old worn parts. The bike is MUCH quieter - various noises had been annoying me and they have almost disappeared now. The elusive ticking sound has pretty much been eliminated. The old big ring does seem to be working fine. I don't use the big ring as much as the middle ring and when it is used, the load is spread over more teeth so it wears less.
The other thing I forgot to mention above is that I bought a 36 tooth middle ring to replace the old worn 38. It is a subtle change but it makes sense for my riding. The big ring is only a 48 and the smallest sprocket is only a 13 which means that I can use the big ring much more than I could on other bikes that I have owned. That means there is not the need to have a biggish middle ring. By using a smaller middle ring, I now have 3 sensible ranges of gears which don't overlap too much if cross-chained combinations are discounted. The big ring is good for 15+ mph = flat, undulating or downhill roads. The middle ring is ideal for about 10-17 mph = undulating roads and moderate climbs. The little ring is good for steep climbs and moderate ones climbed at up to about 12 mph.
I found that the steps between the rings now are such that I wasn't having to do a double shift when changing between them, I felt happy enough staying on the same sprocket for at least a few pedal revs. I didn't get that feeling of having to spin like mad, or my legs seizing up when I changed rings without a corresponding shift at the back.
Oh, and one last quick fettle was done by a mate who is better with a spoke key than me. I noticed a bit of a wobble in the rear wheel. He reduced that by about 75% but didn't want to go any further because the spoke tensions were diverging too much. Ideally, he would like to spend more time on the wheel and do it properly but I told him not to bother. I think it will be ok.
Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
I've just been trying some Meguiars metal polish on the rims I cleaned last night it has made them a bit shinier but I think that they are a bit too far gone for it to
make much difference. It does work well on ally bringing it up like chrome.
Whilst I was fiddling I thought I would clean the rear cluster of old crud and saw the point of having a fixed wheel or single speed.
make much difference. It does work well on ally bringing it up like chrome.
Whilst I was fiddling I thought I would clean the rear cluster of old crud and saw the point of having a fixed wheel or single speed.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Yikes, chrome wheels ... I had them on my childhood bikes and they were very scary in wet conditions. Braking was awful and I had some very near misses! Example ...
Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
These have got dimples in the rim as a sort of way of improving braking in the wet. Whether it worked or not I've no idea. I think braking expectations in the
Sixties and Seventies weren't high on the list of priorities. I think we relied on shoe soles if things got desperate.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
50% braking power in the dry was tolerable, but 5% in the wet was another experience altogether!
mustang1
Legendary Member
- Location
- London, UK
Clipless pedal tension.
Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
Chromed steel wheels came as standard equipment fitted to most cycles in the 60s and 70s, in fact I did not realize that my Holdsworth had ally wheels I just50% braking power in the dry was tolerable, but 5% in the wet weather another experience altogether!
Thought that the chrome looked dull.
Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
I am beginning to worry . I have been working on refurbishing some old chrome wheels to restore another cycle and I have totally forgotten what they
Were like to ride.
Were like to ride.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Yes, I was a child of the 60s so my first 2 bikes' wheels had chromed rims - nasty things! (They can look nice if you keep the rust off them, but poor braking and relatively heavy weight - not good characteristics.)
